The Hindu : Front Page : 64 per cent polling in final phase

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 17, 2007
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64 per cent polling in final phase

Manas Dasgupta and P. Sunderarajan

Voting peaceful in Gujarat; widespread complaints of names missing from electoral rolls

— Photo: AP

ACID TEST: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi arrives to cast his vote in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

GANDHINAGAR/New Delhi: An estimated 62 to 64 per cent of the 1.87 crore voters turned out to cast their votes in 95 Assembly constituencies in 11 districts in central and north Gujarat in the second and final phase of polling on Sunday. A total 599 candidates were in the fray in this phase.

The State’s Additional Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Manek said the elections, held under very tight security, were by and large peaceful. Just one incident of violence was reported from Sapariya locality on the outskirts of Himmatnagar town in Sabarkantha district — seven vehicles were set on fire by the supporters of rival parties following a clash. Further details were not immediately available. In Vadodara district, a police complaint was registered against the BJP candidate for the Pavi-Jetpur seat following the recovery of arms and ammunition from three vehicles in his possession.

Mr. Manek said polling appeared to be higher this year than in 2002 when 61 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise.

While there were few complaints of impersonation or bogus voting, complaints of missing names on the electoral rolls, specifically of those holding voter’s photo identity cards, were rampant. In some instances, entire housing colonies have disappeared from the rolls, though the residents claimed they had cast their votes in the last elections.

While Chief Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote in Sarkhej constituency from where his Minister of State for Home Amit Shah is seeking re-election, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani voted in Khanpur under the Shahpur Assembly constituency where Revenue Minister Kaushik Patel is the BJP candidate.

Polling began on a dull note in the morning, apparently due to the extreme cold conditions, and by afternoon less than about 25 per cent of the voters had turned out at the booths. It picked up later in the day and by 4 p.m. most of the constituencies recorded about 55 per cent voting. Polling was brisk right from the morning in Maninagar constituency from where Mr. Modi is seeking re-election.

Muslim and tribal-dominated polling booths reported heavy polling.

Of the 11 districts covered in the second phase, the highest turnout of 65 to 67 per cent was recorded in the tribal-dominated Dahod district while the other tribal-dominated neighbouring district, the Panchamahals, including Godhra town, recorded the lowest — 54 to 57 per cent.

Cases of impersonation

Central Election Commissioner spokesperson J.P. Prakash told journalists in New Delhi that several cases of impersonation were reported and there were also a few cases of people trying to vote for a second time.

`Counting of votes for all the constituencies will be taken up on December 23.

The first phase of polling on December 11 covered 87 constituencies. The Assembly has a strength of 182. For a bare minimum majority a party will need to win 92 seats. In 2002, the BJP won 127 seats.

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